The Project Shoe by Five Ten is a new addition to their already super popular climbing shoe line-up. The Project has been designed with a severely downturned toe, so it can be used to grab the shelves of The Obed roofs or the small footholds on horizontal boulders at Rocktown.

The Project has been designed with Five Ten's Prehensile Technology that performs around the idea of climbers needing to pull with their feet and use them like hands, and with the Project's use of the new Stealth Mystique rubber you can grab with your feet like never before. Couple that with the Project's downturned soles that are thinner than most all other shoes, giving you a seriously sensitive, "other hand" to grab shelves and small footholds while dangling upside down.

**PLEASE NOTE: This shoe is designed for climbers who are more advanced because they are super soft shoes that require strong feet for excellent performance. The shoe is very soft without much support and has a very downturned toe that may not be effective without climbing experience.

Features

Maximum sensitivity

Prehensile Technology

Stealth rubber

Only one hook and loop closure for a less bulky feel

Downturned soles are only 2mm thick - while other shoes are usually 4mm

1. Got them on sale, so well worth it. At full price, not so sure. If you need a soft shoe, go for it, but I really like my Solutions, which fit my feet perfectly.

2. Wanted a soft shoe for training footwork and building toe strength.

3. Fit ... always tough to describe online, I'll try to give as much info as possible. My street size shoes are either 9.5 or 10 depending on brand, but if I measure my foot tracing, longest distance is 10.75 inches. Shoe store measuring device says 10. Bought 10.5 evolv bandits as 1st shoe, now my feet are flat in them. Wear 40 in La sportiva solutions, which were quite painful at first and took a month to break in to where I can put them on and take them off by myself. Got Projects in size 8, and at first I was convinced I would have to send them back. Couldn't get my feet in until my girlfriend broke them in a bit, then took a few weeks of regular walking in the apartment to be able to wear them for more than a few minutes at a time. Since they are unlined leather, should continue to stretch, and now I'm at the point where I need a shoe horn to get them on and can't really strap down, but once they're on, they're good for about 20 min. Just had them on at the gym for the first time, and the sensitivity makes a huge difference. I used them on vertical walls, as well as roofs, because I want to strengthen my toes. The break-in is mind-boggling, but they already feel great on roofs, and will get better with time.

4. Design is not perfect. Google to see reviews on a variety of blogs, and you'll see complaints about the metal loop. Since I can't even strap down, it doesn't bother me, but when trying to break them in I did force the issue, and although my metal loop hasn't rotated out of place, it does poke a little into my skin. Not terrible, though, and a little pad of tape would fix it. Also, these are surprisingly narrow shoes. In addition to having my girlfriend help break these in, I have had to hammer out hot spots on pinky toes using a metal bar inside shoe and hammer outside shoe. Dabbing the leather with a wet towel while wearing helps stretch faster, but not so helpful on the rand where rubber crushes pinkies. Narrowness also probably makes this a good girl's shoe. Also means that when I do strap down, loops barely reach the hooks on far side of shoe, so strap could be a bit longer.

I've titled this review "nothing else compares" because there really isn't any other shoe out there like the 5-10 Project. The Mystique rubber used on the 5-10 Project is hands down the best I've ever experienced--by a wide margin. Bomber grip, very good wear, and the best feel of any shoe / rubber.

In terms of feel, I can't stress enough how amazing these shoes are. The 2mm thick sole offers up a truly unique climbing experience. It's like climbing barefoot, but without any of the drawbacks (like turning your feet into hamburger). The feedback you get from the rock is unparalleled. You can feel every bulge, jut, flake, crack, and pit underneath you feet, and yet it's still comfortable enough to toe-point on, or stand on one foot on sharp edges.

Vital things to know:

Size down roughly 1 to 1.5 shoe sizes from street shoe.

As a fairly aggressively down-turned slipper, this shoe is probably most well suited for bouldering.

The Mystique rubber may offer to much feel for some. The rubber is pliable enough to fold the shoe in half either vertically or horizontally with minimal effort.

This is an excellent boot to use on tuffas and overhanging routes which is what I love. Not so good on slabs which I do not enjoy anyway. It feels the closest thing to climbing in bear feet which is exactly how I wanted a shoe to be. I would not wear them on a long climb or on very rough rock since, like climbing in bear feet, you feel the rock that you are using your foot.

A great shoe for people who like a sensitive slipper. excels at overhanging terrain but isn't a great edger (no highball slabs in these babies). Sizing is a little tough but the shoe eventually stretches at least a half size if not more. The thin sole allows the foot to spread much more than other slipper type shoes adding to the need to size tightly. My only complaint is that the velcro closure seems a bit short for the shoe (hooks don't quite reach the loops on my foot) and the metal buckle that the velcro runs through can hit the foot uncomfortably if the strap is cranked down too tight. Overall though a fantastic, sensitive, and ultimately comfortable shoe.

These are the best shoes I have ever owned. The agressive down-turned toe and super sticky stealth rubber allow you to hold on to anything. The soles are very thin but durable and I don't see them wearing out anytime soon. If there is one downside to the shoe it's that there is a little extra room in the heel cup, but it dosen't hinder my climbing in any way. I strongly suggest that you buy these shoes.

The FiveTen Project is like an aggressive version of their Moccasym. It is soft, supple, and slightly downturned. It is not as aggressive as the Dragons but you can truly feel the rock. This is a high performance shoe for people with strong feet. FiveTen also seemed to cure their "heel problem." The Project does not have a bulbous heel cup like all of their other shoes, if anything it is a little narrow and really sucks on. The only con to this shoe is I wish the velcro strap was longer but other than that they are a great shoe for steep terrain.

I use this product as a sending and outdoor shoe. I never wear it in the gym. This is the best shoe i have ever put on my feet. Just by wearing these shoes, I can climb at least a v grade or 2 letter grades higher.

If you are just starting to climb or are at a beginners level please resist the temptaion to buy the newest shoes from 5.10.They will make you hurt. I have only tried on this shoe. I have not performed in this at all. There is less rubber than most five ten models. It will wear out faster. This shoe is very sensitive, and painful if left on for long periods of time. I would recommend this shoe to someone who has tried all other kinds of shoes and is looking for the next newest thing on the market. If your feet are already mangled and destroyed from climbing shoes and you don't care about whether shoes are comfortable or not then these are for you, Also if you are pushing the limit of bouldering v10+, these are for you. For the normal everyday climber who climbs 5.10 or boulders up to v6, you will not be comfortable climbing in these, they will hurt.

Love this shoe! They are so sensitive and sticky. I have to use muscles in my foot I never knew I had. They are as close to barefoot as you can get. If you have a wide foot you might want to stay away from these as they tend to be slightly narrow. The heel actually fits me perfect in these as well, most 5.10s I have used in the past have a huge heel that never fits me right. Perfect shoe!

These shoes are amazing! The prehensile technology and new Stealth rubber together make these shoes feel like you are wearing nothing at all and your feet stick like a gecko. I got a size 9 and they felt narrow at first, but super comfortable. Since these shoes are leather and unlined, they stretch immensely! I had to get another pair, size 8 to account for the crazy stretch, but once fitted, they are like having hands for feet. They do, however require strong feet as they are so soft, so they might need to be put on a wish list for begginners until you feel comfortable with thin shoes. All-in-all, A for comfort, A for stickiness.